


Foresight Voyeurism

by Grimalkenkid



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M, Romance, Spoilers, Visions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-26
Updated: 2015-09-26
Packaged: 2018-04-23 09:50:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4872277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grimalkenkid/pseuds/Grimalkenkid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The ability to see the future has some unintended consequences.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ryoma

The gift of foresight wasn’t always such a gift, especially for Mikoto. On occasion, she would get a flash of insight she could act on, but more often, what she saw was set in stone, no matter how hard she tried to change the flow of history. The Hoshidan queen would try to just accept the premonitions as how the world would be. It didn’t stop her from having a favorite kind of vision, though.

Love, especially romance, was almost a guilty pleasure of hers. Ever since she had fallen for her late husband, Mikoto knew how important such love could be. In her visions, she would witness other loves yet to bloom, even if she were not there for the actual events. In her youth, discussing these visions brought quite a few questions, and she would often have to find an excuse to leave. With Sumeragi’s children, though, the queen knew she couldn’t avoid their prying questions for long if she ever let them know she could see that part of their lives.

She could never tell them, but she watched.

* * * * * * * * * *

Mikoto kept a close eye on Ryoma. As he grew up, there were no shortage of beautiful girls waiting to steal his attention. If they could ever get it from him. Sumeragi’s death had affected the boy deeply, and he abandoned many “childish pursuits” in order to train as a warrior and as the ruler he would some day be. It was an admirable goal, of course, but Mikoto couldn't help but wonder if he was ignoring parts of life that could bring him happiness. This feeling diminished as she got to know the prince better, as she saw that he truly was just very focused on his goals.

It wasn’t until several years had passed, and Ryoma had grown into a fine young man, that the Hoshidan queen caught of glimpse of what might be. Mikoto was exhausted that day; trade negotiations had gone on too long, and Yukimura wasn’t at her side to remind her of the time like he usually was. She walked back to her room, taking the back way but being careful not to make too much noise since she knew that many of the castle staff were already asleep. It was while she was passing by some of the higher-up servants’ quarters that she heard raised voices. Mikoto gasped and quickened her pace, worried that the worst might happen.

As she got closer, she could hear them more clearly; they definitely belonged to Ryoma’s subordinates. Mikoto wasn’t worried for their safety as much, as they were fine ninjas whose loyalty was unshakable, but this sounded far more heated than usual. Even for Saizou.

“This… is over.” Those were the first words she could actually hear clearly, and they were soon the only words she heard as a vision hit her like a tidal wave. The Hoshidan queen stopped to keep herself from running right into a wall as all her attention was focused on something only she could see…

 

_Kagerou was sitting in the royal garden, a canvas in her hand and a brush in the other, glancing up at a particularly vibrant flower every so often. Nearby, Ryoma observed her, a slight smile softening his entire face. He just… stayed there for a moment, off to the side, before walking over and kneeling beside her. The ninja paused her drawing to look up at the prince, the hints of a smile playing at her lips._

_“It looks beautiful,” Ryoma said, gesturing to the canvas._

_Kagerou ever so slightly shifted the drawing towards her chest, as if trying to hide it from view. “Thank you. To hear your praise… it makes Jakob’s analysis irrelevant.”_

_“What did he…? Never mind. I won’t pry.”_

_“It’s alright. He merely thought this flower was… a bloody scene. It’s not the first time he’s made such comments. Please, pay it no mind, Lord Ryoma.”_

_The prince furrowed his brows slightly at this. “Kagerou…” he said, reaching up to cup her cheek. “You… Well, you don’t have to call me ‘Lord’ anymore.”_

_Kagerou hesitated slightly before nodding once. “Yes… Ryoma.”_

_His face didn’t completely relax, but he did look more… at ease. A moment passed as they just looked at each other, unspoken words being passed through their mere expressions, and then Ryoma leaned in to gently give her a kiss…_

Mikoto blushed. It felt like she truly was intruding on a private moment, even more so than normal. Ryoma and Kagerou both looked several years older, more mature and tempered than they were in the present. And obviously closer than they currently were. She closed her eyes, willing the vision away, and gave a sigh of relief when she saw that it was successful. It was something of a relief to know that Sumeragi’s eldest child would find love in his own time, but Mikoto didn’t need the details. With any luck, she would see these events and more like them come to pass with her own eyes. It was such a nice thought to let herself get wrapped up in while her mind was drifting to sleep.

It took her a moment to realize that she wasn’t alone in the hall anymore.

“Queen Mikoto.” Saizou’s rough voice shocked her back into the present. The one-eyed ninja was kneeling before her in that peculiar way ninjas had when showing deference to their master. “Do you require our services? Or just… Kagerou?” As if on cue, the kunoichi appeared beside Saizou, also kneeling. It was hard to tell from where she stood, but Mikoto thought she saw the other woman’s eyes watering.

The Hoshidan queen shook her head, half to get herself back to the present and half to answer his question. “N-no. I was just retiring to my room for the night and happened to come this way. I’m truly sorry if I caused any concern.”

The ninjas hesitated before nodding. “Of course, Your Majesty.” This time, Kagerou was the one to speak. “We… will not delay you any longer.” With that, they both vanished, as ninjas were known to do. Mikoto had lived in Hoshido for several years by that point, yet she still hadn’t gotten completely used to how they appeared and disappeared as quickly and completely as they did. But it wasn’t something she had any control over… much like her visions.

Letting out a small sigh, she began walking back to her room again, confused about what the ninjas could possibly have been talking about earlier and happy to know that her adopted son wouldn’t force himself to be a bachelor forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! First chapter! And kudos to you if you know what Saizou and Kagerou were arguing about. XD


	2. Sakura

Much to Mikoto’s surprise, her next vision came only a few days after her encounter with Saizou and Kagerou. Normally, they were infrequent, with at least a few weeks separating each occurrence. So when the Hoshidan queen felt herself slipping into that unusual trance during archery practice, she was utterly confused and unsure of what to do but let it take her where it would…

 

_Sakura was moving about in what appeared to be a general goods store, but the main stock consisted of batons, vulneraries, and the like. The pink-haired princess was tidying everything up, making sure everything was in its proper place. From the back, Saizou carried crates of what were most likely more vulneraries, which were on the low side compared to everything else. After setting the last crate down, he sighed heavily and pulled his mask down around his neck, concern furrowing his brow._

_“Alright, so we’ve restocked the vulneraries,” Sakura stated, nodding at the crates the ninja had brought in before turning her back to him. “No one’s batons were used up in that last fight, and- Meep!” The princess squeaked in surprise as Saizou wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head so gently it looked like he was just resting his head on her. “S-S-Saizou? Um… y-you scared me…”_

_The ninja didn’t say anything for a moment, just nuzzling her hair affectionately. Sakura hesitantly rested her hands over his, and that seemed to prompt him to speak. “I… was worried…” he said, voice far softer than usual. “That last battle… you vanished from my side. I thought… you were…”_

_Saizou’s voice was muffled by her hair, but she could clearly hear his voice beginning to crack on those last words. Sakura raised one hand to pat his head, and the ninja let out a shaky breath. “Takumi was injured. I… I needed to help.” She turned her head so she was partially looking him in the eye. “I’m sorry I scared you. I’ll… um… I’ll let you know… i-if that ever happens again.” The princess stood on her toes to give Saizou a quick kiss on the lips. “I love you.”_

_The ninja once again buried his face in her hair, a blush spreading over his entire face, mumbling something that sounded a lot like “I love you, too”..._

 

The sound of something snapping caused Mikoto to come back from that vision. Glancing down, she saw her hand clenched into a fist, with the arrow she’d been holding broken between her fingers. The Hoshidan queen wasn’t against Sakura falling in love - part of her actively hoped for it - but that premonition made her feel a righteous fury she didn’t even know she possessed. Sakura clearly wasn’t done growing, not even in the vision she just had, while she knew that Saizou was easily ten years her senior. Age normally didn’t matter to Mikoto, but this was Sumeragi’s youngest child. She wasn’t about to just let that brutish ninja get so close to the youngest princess.

Grabbing another arrow, the Hoshidan queen walked out of the archery range quickly but calmly. Every purpose-laden stride took her closer to where Ryoma was most likely training that day. And where he was, his retainers were sure to be close by.

Sure enough, as the crown prince was swinging his bokken at straw, practice dummies, Saizou was standing by in the shadows. He was making no effort to hide himself since they were well inside the castle, and he made for an intimidating figure for any passersby, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and his single eye surveying the entirety of the training grounds. Mikoto was sure the ninja was aware of her but made no moves as he came fully into her line of sight. He had no reason to fear her or think that she would cause harm to his chosen lord.

This all made drawing the bow on him very easy.

Teeth clenched in anger at what he would eventually do to her daughter, she aimed at Saizou’s chest and loosed her arrow. Mikoto wasn’t sure if he caught a glimpse of what she was doing or if his reflexes were just that good, but the ninja ducked out of the way at the last second, and the arrow buried itself in the wall beside him with a resounding “Thwack!”

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” Saizou cursed, staring at the arrow before looking to Mikoto, eyes wide in utter confusion. He wasn’t even attempting to keep his injured eye shut, and she could see the milky white of the dead eye he normally kept hidden. “Y-your Majesty?! D-did I do something?!” Off in the training yard, Ryoma paused his assault on the dummies to look at what had caused his retainer such distress.

Mikoto blinked, the absurdity of her actions finally sinking in as she felt Ryoma’s gaze settle on her. What was she even trying to accomplish here? She obviously wasn’t trying to kill Saizou - she would’ve brought more arrows if she was - but she had no hesitation firing what might’ve been a killshot had it hit her intended target. Was she just trying to scare the ninja? He didn’t even know why she was angry at him, and Mikoto couldn’t tell him that it was because she saw a vision of him together with Sakura.

Put on the spot, the Hoshidan queen gave the first explanation that popped into her head. “Ah, no. I was just… testing your reflexes,” Mikoto tried to smile, but it came out odd, and her cheeks were beginning to flush from the embarrassment. “I can’t have a sub-par ninja protecting my son, now, can I? Anyway, you’re as sharp as ever, Saizou, so I’ll leave you to your day.”

It took all of her willpower not to run as she turned away from the stunned men and retreated to her room. For months thereafter, the royals’ retainers would flinch whenever they saw Mikoto outside the archery range with her bow.


	3. Hinoka

Despite being Queen, there were days when Mikoto allowed herself to do nothing. Well, more like she forced herself to do nothing, since she always felt as though she was the only one who should be burdened with the task of running a kingdom. To sit idle wasn’t something Mikoto was accustomed to, even though her retainers tried their hardest to make sure she rested enough not to run herself into the ground. In fact, if Orochi or Yuugiri found her within so much as spitting distance of the throne room on those days set aside for her relaxation, then they would march her back out to the gardens or prepare some tea. Mikoto was grateful every day that she had such kind and thoughtful retainers to make sure she was always at her best.

She desperately wished she could say the same of Hinoka’s subordinates.

Asama would make sure she was eating and sleeping properly, yes, but otherwise was content to let the princess do her own thing. And Setsuna… Mikoto had no idea what to think of Setsuna. The girl kept falling into holes. Who was even digging all those holes?! One time, Mikoto had asked Yukimura to have the castle staff fill in every single hole on grounds, and that absent-minded archer still got herself stuck in one.

Whatever was going on, the Hoshidan queen tried not to think about it as she sat on the edge of the walkway, watching as Hinoka trained with her naginata. The First princess’s dedication to getting stronger was admirable - and it was certainly paying off in how fluidly she could swing the blade without leaving any openings - but Mikoto couldn’t help but think that she needed a break. It didn’t help that Hinoka openly admitted that she was training so hard to get Ren back. For all that the queen wanted to believe that her birth daughter was still alive, she just didn’t have the strength to hope. It had been far too long since Sumeragi had taken Ren to Chevalier and fallen to King Garon’s trap. If she were still alive and well, then surely they would’ve heard _something_ by now.

Mikoto sighed. That train of thought was not helping her relax. Some voices approaching her on the walkway provided a much needed distraction.

“... so you don’t have to wait on me like some Nohrian butler,” Takumi said to an unfamiliar man walking by his side. “That’s not what retainers are for, no matter what Hana says.” The archer stopped short as he looked back in front of him and saw the Hoshidan queen, bowing slightly. “Hello, Mother. I’m sorry if we disturbed you. I was just showing Hinata around the castle.”

At his side, the other man also bowed to her. Unlike the archer, though, he was incredibly stiff about it, bending right as the hip until his back was almost parallel with the floor. It looked very much like he had been taught how to bow instead of the motion coming more naturally. “It’s a great honor to meet you, Your Majesty,” he said, a cocky grin plastering his face. “As Lord Takumi said, I’m Hinata, and I’ll be protecting him as his retainer from now on.”

Mikoto let out a very undignified chortle at the young samurai’s words. “Really?” she tried to ask through her snickering. With his scratched-up armor and relaxed manner of speech, she could hardly believe that this man, of all the possible samurai, had been picked by Takumi. “I wasn’t aware that anyone could live up to Takumi's… exacting standards.”

Hinata just laughed a bit, but Takumi wasn’t in the mood for his mother’s jokes. “Mother…” he whined, scowling in annoyance. “I am not picky. Amemaru was genuinely an idiot. If I hadn’t thrown him out, I’m pretty sure Yuugiri would’ve fed him to her kite.”

“I would’ve called him insufferably smug, but maybe that’s just me.” The trio all turned to see that Hinoka had wandered up to the walkway. With her practice naginata resting on one shoulder, she gave the samurai a polite nod. “Hinata, yes? It’s nice to meet you. I’ll admit it’s something of a relief to know that someone will be protecting my brother in battle.”

While Takumi scowled and mumbled something about not needing protection, Hinata stood even straighter, a slight blush spreading across his cheeks. “Of course, Princess Hinoka! You can count on me,” he said, bowing deeply again, this time to the First princess.

Or he would’ve, had his head not connected with the railing first. Mikoto could’ve sworn she felt the same pain split through her forehead as a vision took her suddenly and completely…

 

_They were on the training grounds still, though Takumi was nowhere to be seen. Instead, it was just Hinoka trading blows with Hinata. At first glance, it looked like they were evenly matched, every strike and parry matching the other for strength and finesse. But, bit by bit, the First princess was gaining the upper hand. She was able to weave past the bokken and graze his skin with the end of her training pole, earning a stubbornly determined face from Hinata each time. He tried to get in the same kind of blows, but with each new strike, he just lost ground, kept leaving openings for Hinoka to take advantage of. The samurai was completely on the defensive within moments, yet he wasn’t giving up. As Hinoka thrust her pole at him, Hinata grabbed the other end and yanked back hard, attempting to pull the First princess to the ground._

_Instead, Hinoka let go of the pole._

_“UWAH!” the samurai cried out as he landed on his rear, dropping the training pole from the surprise. “What was that? Who drops their weapon in battle?”_

_"You, apparently," Hinoka smirked as she dashed forward and snatched her pole off the ground before Hinata could react, pointing it at the samurai's neck. “And with that, I believe this match is mine.”_

_Hinata let out a sigh, though it sounded far more like a whine. “Yeah, looks like you win,” he said, pushing himself off the ground as soon as the princess withdrew her pole. “So, now what? I think it’s about lunchtime. Wanna get going? I think someone said Jakob’s on cooking duty today, and that’s not something I want to miss out on!”_

_Ignoring the samurai’s grandiose gestures - probably meant to emphasize his point - Hinoka leaned her training pole against her shoulder. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather stay and train some more. I’ll come by the restaurant when I feel hunger set in, so you’ve no need to worry about that.”_

_“What?!” he groaned. “I can’t just leave my wife to go get food. That would just be rude.”_

_Hinoka giggled a bit at his statement but shook her head. “It’s fine, Hinata. I just honestly don’t feel hungry right now. You can go on ahead of me; I won’t mind.”_

_For a moment, it looked like he was going to take her advice, turning ever so slightly in another direction, but it was only enough to get Hinoka to turn herself, taking her eyes off the samurai. That’s when Hinata acted. Turning on his heel, the samurai rushed back up to Hinoka, wrapping his arms around her as he slowed just in time to keep from knocking them over, giving her a big kiss right on the lips._

_“Ah! H-Hinata?!”_

_He smiled as he pulled away, leaving a stunned Hinoka frozen in place. “No way! I’m not gonna let you work yourself to death. We’re going to lunch now. And I bet you’re hungrier than you say you are; I saw, remember? You haven’t had anything since breakfast.”_

_The First princess finally worked up the presence of mind to react to what he was saying. “It was a large breakfast. B-besides… I said not to worry about me.”_

_Hinata shook his head again at that. “Not gonna happen. If you won’t look after yourself, then someone has to. I’ll carry you to the restaurant if I have to.”_

_“That’s a bit excessi- What are you doing?!” Hinoka let out a high-pitched squeak as the samurai literally swept her off her feet, holding her bridal style with the biggest grin on his face. “P-Put me down, Hinata! I can walk on my own!”_

_“And risk you running off to train? Not a chance!” Even as he spoke, Hinata began walking in the direction he’d been turned towards earlier, leaving all their training equipment where it lay. “Plus I haven’t gotten to do this since our wedding. You can humor me every once in a while, can’t you?”_

_Hinoka just let out a long sigh and flicked his nose playfully, ceasing any half-hearted struggle she’d been putting up…_

 

“Ow ow ow! That hurts!”

Snapping back to reality, Mikoto was almost glad that both her children were occupied with making sure Hinata hadn’t cracked his head open to notice that she’d spaced out for a moment there. Almost.

“Hinata! Oh, that was _not_ a soft hit,” the queen quickly rose to her feet and stepped over to Takumi’s new retainer. It took her a moment to realize that Hinoka was already holding his head, taking a look at the injury to determine if a baton would be necessary. “Hinoka, shall I retrieve my baton or will a vulnerary do?”

“No, no! Y-you don’t have to do that! I’m fine! See?” The samurai tapped his head, but immediately flinched. “Okay, so maybe I’m not fine now but I will be fine in a bit.”

While Takumi looked thoroughly annoyed by the other man, Hinoka’s scowl was full of worry. “It is still an injury. Wait here. I have a vulnerary in my pack.” Without waiting for the samurai to refuse her offer, the First princess let go and raced across the training field to where her belongings lay. As the archer began asking Mikoto if there was really anything to worry about, she smiled slightly as she saw the bond between this new retainer and Sumeragi’s eldest daughter beginning to form.


	4. Azura

There was nothing they could do.

Mikoto had been hesitant and unsure in the months following the ambush in Chevalier, and many Hoshidan lords took advantage of her political flailing to put plans in motion that normally would never have seen daylight. The new queen was particularly distraught over the loss of Ren, her only flesh and blood daughter. Not even Ryoma’s kind words or Hinoka’s naive determination could lessen her anguish, which had led to one of the higher ranking nobles to put forth a plan Mikoto would’ve shut down under any other circumstance. His plan: kidnap a princess of Nohr and demand a trade. Even if Ren had perished with Sumeragi, King Garon would’ve had to confirm her fate if he wanted to see his own daughter again. Surely this would force the Nohrian king’s hand.

The result… one week after she agreed to the plan, Yukimura led a small, blue-haired girl into Mikoto’s meeting chamber, introducing her as Princess Azura of Nohr. The Hoshidan queen realized in that moment what she had truly ordered and sank to her knees before the girl. Her eyes had been unfocused and her cheeks damp, and Mikoto had apologized profusely to Azura, promising that they meant her no harm and she would be returning to Nohr shortly.

A ransom was sent out immediately. Days… weeks… seasons… all passed with no word from Garon. They knew he’d received the message, as the messenger had returned unscathed, yet not a single letter was sent in response. Mikoto ensured that Azura’s stay in Hoshido was as pleasant as possible - accommodating every need and treating her with the respect due someone of royal blood - but no one thought it would become permanent.

One year after the kidnapping, Mikoto accepted that Garon would do nothing. But they couldn’t just return the Nohrian princess; if they did so, then they would effectively be breaking the terms of their own agreement. As much as Mikoto wished to return Azura to her homeland, Hoshidan honor dictated that it was not a possibility so long as Garon kept Ren’s fate concealed. She had been in tears when she went to explain this to the blue-haired girl.

Azura had merely smiled, wiped away the Hoshidan queen’s tears, and said that she liked living in Hoshido and didn’t mind staying there as long as they needed her. Something in the timbre of her voice when she said that set Mikoto at ease. Ren’s fate was unknown, but they could protect Azura in her place.

It was a hollow comfort, the queen thought as she read yet more reports of Faceless raids on the Hoshido-Nohr border. The blighted country tried again and again to provoke them to war, but Mikoto wouldn’t let it come to that. There had to be a peaceful solution, something that would allow them to coexist without bloodshed. Yet every olive branch the queen extended was thrown back at her - even the Nohrian people had turned their noses up at offered, Hoshidan-grown food, their pride making them refuse the charity. She couldn’t offer land, either; her people would rather burn and salt their land than allow Nohrian farmers to reap the benefits of generations of their ancestors. War seemed inevitable, and Garon’s apparent thirst for glory was not helping.

Sighing, Mikoto leaned back, stretching her neck as she pondered taking a break for tea. None of these problems would be solved overnight, and she was fairly certain that Yuugiri was one step away from dragging the queen from her study.

_“Yurari yurureri~”_

Mikoto shook herself from her thoughts as Azura’s song drifted through the air. Her voice was soft, but she could clearly hear every word, like they were floating in through the open window leading to the gardens. She didn’t know what prompted the girl to begin singing right then and soon didn’t care as another tune swept her away…

 

_Lanterns were hung from every conceivable location, the orange glow illuminating the entire town square as if night had never completely fallen. In fact, nothing in the square looked like anything had changed. Merchants were still out, although none were hawking wares like normal. Instead, everyone had out food and gifts typical of a festival, and the lively music playing all around dissuaded anyone from trying to yell above it. The middle of the square had been cleared of any structures and it was the only place people weren’t crowded nearly side by side._

_This was because that was where people were dancing. Several were members of the Hoshidan army, and all were nearly battle ready. Given the cobbled-together nature of the festivities, they’d probably won a battle mere hours ago and hadn’t yet been able to change out of their armor. It made for an interesting sight - although Oboro hardly looked out of place as she refused to be less than fashionable even in armor - yet one dancer stood out among the rest._

_In the center of the square, in the center of all the dancers, Azura spun around, a blur of white and blue swirling in perfect time with the beat of the drums. Not even Subaki, for all his perfect steps, could match the songstress for beauty in this court. The music swelled and fell multiple times, and she kept pace with every shift and pause, only slowing her steps when the music stopped and the musicians put their instruments down for a brief respite._

_As the dancers all stepped away for a break until the next song began, Azura strode towards the sidelines. Her steps were full of purpose and took her right up to a man who would’ve stood out even if he weren’t decked in black, plated armor. “Y-You were really beautiful,” the man stammered, twiddling his thumbs even as he smiled. “Well, th-that’s a given, I guess. I meant your dancing was beautiful. But I’m just stating the obvious here, aren’t I?”_

_Azura’s normally expressionless face held a gentle smile as she stopped beside the black armored man, taking one of his hands in her own. “Thank you, Silas. It… is truly wonderful to hear you say so.”_

_Silas blushed and shrugged. “You’re welcome, dear. I just… I just say it so often, you know?”_

_“I know. It also warms my heart whenever I hear you say it.” The small chuckle she let out made it seem like this wasn’t the first time she’d informed him of this, and he responded in kind, giving her hand a light squeeze as well._

_“That’s good, ‘cause I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of saying it.”_

_Azura gave a simple nod of acknowledgement and a peck on the cheek before the music started up again. This time, it was a far faster tune, and the people who decided to join in on the dance were mostly new, not yet tired from the celebration. The Nohrian princess took a step towards the open square before turning back to Silas and tugging on his hand. “Will you dance?”_

_Silas threw his hands up in front of him, eyes wide in what could only be called horror. “N-No way! I don’t know any Hoshidan dances. I’d only end up making a fool out of myself and probably step on a bunch of people’s toes. B-better if I just stay here and watch.”_

_The Nohrian princess dropped her smile, only to quirk her lips upward a moment later. She placed one hand on his shoulder and, with the other, took one of his hands. It was a position foreign to any Hoshidan dance, yet it was one any Nohrian child knew well. Silas almost instinctively brought his free hand to her waist when Azura drew her body closer to him. “Then do a dance you do know.”_

_He looked unsure of how to take her words until he glanced around and saw what must’ve been an opening in the dancers and gave a hearty chuckle. Silas took one hesitant step and, as soon as he knew Azura saw where he was leading them, whirled them into the square, barely avoiding any collisions with the other people there. There was a pattern to the steps, and both Nohrians easily adjusted it to the tempo, but a 3-step dance didn’t mesh at all with the Hoshidan style everyone else was using. Azura laughed gently as people nearly fell over themselves to get out of the way of the pair, and soon they had cleared a space large enough for half a dozen couples simply because no one knew what they were doing._

_In this space, they danced. The Nohrian princess’s dress flared outward as Silas twirled her around, sometimes only touching by their hands, sometimes pressed flush with each other in a manner most Hoshidans would find inappropriate though it was nothing odd to the two dancers themselves. As the music wound down, Silas dipped Azura as low as he could, the princess trusting him to support her weight. Applause came from all around, and the two kissed before standing back up for whatever song came next…_

  
Mikoto smiled and sighed as the vision ended. That man - Silas - was unfamiliar to her, but his features clearly marked him as Nohrian, and that was to say nothing about the style of his armor. The fact that he’d stood among members of the Hoshidan army not as a captive but an equal gave the queen some dearly needed hope. If even one Nohrian could find a place in their army, then it meant there was a chance for peace. It was a small chance, but it was one, and that matted to her almost as much as what the vision had revealed about Azura’s future. To think that the normally shy princess would find someone to dance so freely with… Mikoto couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face as she glanced out the window, where she could still hear the Nohrian princess singing in the calm and quiet.


	5. Takumi

Mikoto didn’t always receive visions about everyone in her life. Of course, as queen of Hoshido, she had so many people in her life that having visions for every single one of them would’ve been impossible, so she understood that she couldn’t see what the future held for most of her friends. She knew, and yet she still worried for Takumi. The second prince was… less than confident in his abilities and position. It didn’t show, but anyone who looked beyond the bluster and talk could see that, of all his siblings, Takumi thought the least of himself. Even his relations with his retainers reinforced his apparent need for independence even as he leaned more and more on the people in his life: he would go to Oboro for tips on formal dress and went out of his way to make sure she wasn’t ignoring her passion for clothing to focus on her duties, and Hinata was far more like a friend to the prince than a retainer or even a simple bodyguard.

Actually, she had been quite surprised when she didn’t even get the faintest glimmer of a vision when it became obvious that the lancer harbored feelings for the second prince. The two got along famously, so the queen quite selfishly hoped that something would happen, yet there was only ever talk of them being friends. Mikoto saw how strong Takumi tried to be on his own, and so she truly wanted him to find someone who could love and support him when she couldn’t.

She tried to ignore it, telling herself that it was his decision whether or not he took someone as a lover or wife, reminding herself that she might just not have gotten a vision of his future yet. It was still hard, though. When she walked past the archery range and saw him practicing for hours on end, Mikoto hoped that his life wouldn’t be reduced to a quest for acknowledgement. Takumi deserved to be happy, just like anyone else.

The threat of war was looming nearer now. The time between attacks was growing shorter every month. Farmers by the border were worried for their own wellbeing. Reports kept piling up until the Hoshidan queen was simply overwhelmed. Ryoma, as crown prince, did everything he could to lighten her workload, but the stress remained. So much so that Mikoto almost thought she was hallucinating when she heard something outside her room while trying to sleep.

It wasn’t a normal vision; she was still in complete control of her body and actually jumped to her feet as the sound of footsteps pounded down the hall. Mikoto hesitantly opened the sliding door and peeked out, wondering who could be running around that time of night.

 

_“Dad! Dad!” a small, teal-haired boy chirped as he ran up to Takumi and pulled the archer’s arm. He was also clothed in bowman’s garb and wore the world’s largest smile on his face. “You have to see this! It’s awesome! C’mon, let’s go!”_

_Takumi gaped at the boy who had called him “dad,” but his response didn’t deny that statement in the slightest. “Wh-what are you talking about, Kisaragi? Calm down! What is it?”_

_The boy, Kisaragi, didn’t answer immediately, instead tugging on his father’s arm. “No, I can’t tell you. That’d ruin the surprise.”_

_“Surprise? What surprise? Kisaragi, what’s going on? A-and stop tugging me. I’m coming. I’m coming!” Takumi stumbled a bit in an attempt to keep up as his son dragged him down the hall, just beginning to smile himself._

 

Mikoto almost couldn’t tell that this vision was just a vision. As the two passed her in the hall, she reached out to Takumi, just to make sure she knew what was going on. Her hand passed through the image, and immediately the forms of the two bowmen disappeared. _Of course,_ she thought. _Another vision. Ah, I must be far too stressed if I’m seeing them like this now… Wait! That child…_

It just hit her that Kisaragi had called Takumi his father. And Takumi didn’t deny it. Mikoto couldn’t help but smile at what this meant. Though she didn’t know who he would fall for, the existence of a child spoke volumes about how close he would get with this mystery woman. And that knowledge put her heart slightly at ease, enough so she could at least get to sleep that night.

The next vision she had of him wasn’t quite so cheerful. Mikoto was just walking outside when it struck and carried her away completely…

 

_Takumi was stalking back and forth in his room. He was gritting his teeth as he harshly ran his hands through his hair, thoroughly messing up the ponytail he normally kept it in. “Why?” he hissed to himself. “Why? Why? Why? This isn’t fair…”_

_Tears were beginning to pool in his eyes, and the bowman stopped his pacing to wipe them away. But the moment he took his sleeve away, more tears began to fall. “No… Stop it… Stop it!” Takumi continued rubbing his eyes, but all his efforts were in vain as he just cried harder. “I love… I can’t. I-I can’t love her. It’s wrong. I can’t. It’s not fair!”_

_Sudden knocking at the door made the bowman jump. “Lord Takumi?” It was Hinata’s voice. “Are you okay? I heard shouting.”_

_Takumi froze for a second, his face cycling through so many emotions one could only imagine what he was actually feeling inside. He settled on an intense glare as he stomped up to the door and threw it open. Hinata was on the other side, hand hanging as if to knock again. His eyes were wide and his mouth slightly agape when he saw the bowman. “Lord Taku-”_

_Takumi punched Hinata squarely in the jaw, silencing whatever he was about to say and knocking him to the floor in the process. The bowman was trembling and shouted down at the confused samurai, “SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP AND GO BACK TO FUCKING MY SISTER, YOU BASTARD!” He didn’t even let Hinata respond, slamming the door back in his face and letting out a raw, pained scream to the heavens._

_There was only silence from the hallway for a minute, then footsteps slowly moving away. Takumi sighed and slumped against the wall, folding his knees to his chest and making himself as small as possible. He wasn't even trying to hold back his tears anymore and trembled with every sob. "Why?" he cried to himself. "Why did I have to fall in love with my sister? It’s not fair. It’s not fair..."_

 

Mikoto gasped. She couldn't even imagine Takumi falling for either of his sisters, nor see him in so much pain. The Hoshidan queen wanted to reach out to the boy in her vision, to tell him that he would find someone to love who would reciprocate and who wasn't his sister... Unless...

She turned on her heel and ran back to her room, uncaring of who saw her. _How could I have forgotten?_ she thought, mind racing faster than she was. _He has three sisters, not two. And that child... Kisaragi... He had pointed ears. Like Ren... It could be possible._ Mikoto had definitely seen that Takumi's future son had pointed ears - a very inhuman trait - but hadn't thought anything of it until she saw Takumi ashamed by his own feelings in that vision. If Ren were the boy's mother... then it would connect those visions perfectly. If her daughter ever did come back to them, then she would be introduced as their sister.

But she wasn't. Not by blood.

Ren and Takumi didn't share either birth parent, nor were they related in any other way. Gods, they weren't even born in the same country! There was always a chance that Mikoto was misinterpreting her visions, but if there was even a chance she was right, she had to let the second prince know. Not now, but later. Yes, a letter would work. Mikoto grabbed several sheets of paper and an ink brush as soon as she got to her room and hurriedly sat at her desk. There was really no reason to hurry, yet she wanted to do this as soon as she could. Her hands trembled as she ground the inkstone and added water to make the liquid suitable for writing, yet calmed the moment she put the brush to paper.

 

_“My dear Takumi,_

_I cannot fathom what you are feeling at this moment, and while it may seem right to lock these feelings away and hide, you must know that it isn’t wrong. What you are feeling is not wrong. You deserve all the happiness in the world, and love was never meant to taint that. No, love should make you feel wonderful, and maybe a bit scared, but never disgusted. I know what I have said: that she is your sister, that you should love her as the family she should’ve been raised as. But I am asking - pleading - you to forget all of that._

_Because Ren is not your sister. She is my daughter, yes, but when King Sumeragi took me from the country of my birth, I already had her. And though she was not his, Sumeragi wanted nothing more than to love her as if she were his own daughter._

_What I mean to say is that, it’s alright. There is nothing wrong with you. There is nothing wrong with feeling as you do towards her. I am sorry that I caused you distress. If there were a way to avoid this situation, then I would do everything in my power to do so. But this is how the chips fell, and so this is all I can do for now._

_I don’t know whether or not she will return your feelings. I don’t think I could say even if I knew. You may do with this information as you will. But I do want you to know that there is nothing wrong in trying. You deserve a happy life, and if you can find it with Ren, then I hope you will find a way to make it work._

_I love you with all my heart,_

_\- Mother.”_

 

Mikoto swallowed thickly as the brush left the page one last time. It wasn't perfect, but it should be enough. And she didn't even know when her vision would occur, so she could have plenty of time to revise it if necessary. _But... maybe... I'll be able to tell him this myself,_ Mikoto thought as she let the ink dry. She folded it delicately and covered it in envelope paper, writing Takumi's name on top. The Hoshidan queen placed the letter in her desk, safe until she could give it to the bowman.

* * * * * * * * * *

They heard the ninja long before they saw him. That, in itself, should’ve been a sign that something of great magnitude was happening. Mikoto had just finished a meeting with the greater nobles of Hoshido and was finalizing a few details with Yukimura when loud footfalls from outside drew close. They jumped to their feet - Yukimura drawing a kunai from his belt - when the source of the noise slammed open the door and practically fell to the floor in front of them.

“Kaze!” the Hoshidan queen gasped, held in place by shock of seeing the ninja in such a sorry state. “Wh-what happened? We thought you’d been captured months ago! How-?”

“Ren is... alive,” he said between labored breaths. Kaze shakily moved into the traditional kneeling position, but it was obvious he wouldn’t be able to stay like that for long. Sweat was streaking down his face and neck, and the stains on his uniform revealed just how much he’d been exerting himself. If that and his breathing didn’t expose his condition, then the way his body shook and leaned on his palm did. "Sh-she's in... Nohr."

Mikoto couldn't breathe. Kaze was an honorable man, not one to joke about something so serious. But there was a more pressing issue they had to address at that time. "Kaze, don't push yourself. You look like you're about to collapse." Mikoto knelt beside the ninja, putting a hand on his shoulder to steady him a bit.

But Kaze shook his head. "No. This... this is... v-very important... I... saw Ren... In Nohr..." The ninja trailed off as he nearly fell forward, catching himself just before Mikoto had to catch him. The Hoshidan queen opened her mouth to stop him, but Kaze shook his head. "Please, Your Majesty... This cannot wait... Ren..."

Yukimura interrupted in the pause between Kaze's breaths. "Perhaps it would be better to start at the beginning. First, the last we knew, you had been captured by Nohrian soldiers on the border. What happened after that?"

Kaze took a deep breath and nodded. "I was... a prisoner... forced to... to fight a... Nohrian princess... Some kind of... test. But she... she said her name... is Ren..." The ninja looked up, holding the queen's gaze as he continued. "She... has to be your... daughter... She shares more than the name; she has... the same bearing and... and appearance. She is Ren. I... I don't know why, but... she is living as a princess of Nohr... She's alive... She saved me... let me go... and I came here as... as fast as possible... To tell you..."

Mikoto still couldn't find the right expression for how those words made her feel, an almost neutral expression settling on her face. "Thank you, Kaze," she nearly whispered. "Thank you. Now, rest." Mikoto put her other hand to his forehead and let a bit of healing magic wash over the ninja's strained body. The effect was immediate: Kaze fell into unconsciousness and slumped in Mikoto's arms. Turning to Yukimura, she said, “Please fetch someone to take Kaze to his room. I… need to think.”

The tactician looked as though he wanted to say something, but he must have sensed her confusion and simply nodded, walking swiftly from the room in search of the castle’s servants. Mikoto was just trying to process this new information; her daughter was alive and living in Nohr, apparently as a member of their royal family. Did Garon kidnap her on that day so long ago? Why would he do such a thing? And, more importantly, why hadn’t Ren tried to contact her if she wasn’t a prisoner? But these questions were drowned out when she felt the familiar pricklings of a vision overtaking her senses…

 

_Takumi was walking through was looked like a small village situated within castle walls. He was wearing far more casual clothing than his usual armor, the kind he typically wore when training. Keeping pace beside him was a woman in similar clothing, teal hair pulled back into two short pigtails. She was stretching her arms and shoulders as they walked, and the bowman kept glancing at her as if unsure what to do._

_“Ah… thanks for training with me,” the woman sighed, causing Takumi to jump slightly at the broken silence and fix his gaze ahead of them. “Jakob’s a decent sparring partner, but he’s too predictable… and he goes way too easy on me. You think he’d do the same with Oboro, but no, he- Takumi? Something wrong?”_

_Takumi shook his head, looking to her with a somewhat sheepish smile. “N-no. It’s nothing, Ren. I’m just a bit tired.”_

_The woman huffed and stopped in her tracks, grabbing Takumi’s arm and pulling him to a halt, as well. “No, it’s not,” she said, pouting ever so slightly. “You’re eyes are unfocused, meaning you’re thinking about something way too hard. Now, what’s on your mind?”_

_The bowman worried his lower lip, glancing off to the side to gather his thoughts. “I… Well, I…” He looked at his feet, shifting nervously. “I… I love you. You know that… right?”_

_Ren cocked her head slightly. “Yes… I love you, too.” She threw her arms around him, pulling him close to her chest. Even though he startled a bit again, she smiled and stroked his hair. “That wasn’t what you’re worried about, though.”_

_Takumi nodded, breathing easier as he nuzzled into her shoulder. “I’m just… worried. I didn’t care before, but you were taken away once. If you went away again, I couldn’t…”_

_“Takumi…” the princess sighed, pulling back just enough to tilt his face towards her. “I’m not going anywhere. I promise. Besides, if you’re here, then here’s where I want to be, too.”_

_"Ah... Uh.. Th-thank you," he whispered. He raised his arms hesitantly before wrapping her in a hug._

_Ren chuckled at this. "And thank you... for everything." She leaned up ever so slightly to kiss him, slow and soft, and their eyes fluttered shut as it deepened..._

 

Mikoto was crying by the end of her vision. The woman - Ren - looked far different than the girl she lost years ago, but she would recognize those crimson eyes and teal hair anywhere. She was the queen's daughter, all grown up. _Ren looked like she grew into a wonderful woman,_ Mikoto sighed, idly smoothing Kaze's disheveled hair as she awaited Yukimura's return. _And so kind. I wish I could've watched you grow, Ren. But... but you'll come back to us; I know that now. I can't wait to see you again. You'll finally be home._

As she thought of seeing her daughter again, Mikoto's lips split into a large smile. There were so many wonderful things in her children's lives, things she only saw as part of her visions. The Hoshidan queen looked forward to watching these events come to fruition and finally join in their delight at finding people to spend their lives with. All she had to do was wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I really would like to hear what you guys think of this story. It took me a while to write the last chapter, particularly, but I hope you enjoy it. :)


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